Pipe-clamp.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MORTIMER B. SKINNER, OF WILMETTE, AND JAMES MCGREA, OF LAKE BLUFF, ILLINOIS.

PIPE-CLAMP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 17, 1907.

Applieationiiled July 1, 1905. Serial No. 267,959.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, MORTIMER B. SKINNER and James MoCnnA, both citizens of the United States, and residents of Wilmette, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, and Lake Bluff, in the countyof Lake and State of Illinois, respectively, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pipe-Clamps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in pipe clamps and refers more specifically to a device intended for application to stop leakage through the joint formed between two meeting pipe sections provided with flanged unions, or for analogous purposes.

The chief object of the invention is to provide a device which may be readily applied to the exterior of the pipe without disconnecting the union of the latter and which when properly applied will serve to effectually arrest and prevent leakage of the pipe at the joint between the flanges.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing-Figure 1 is an elevation of a preferred embodiment of our invention shown in position applied to the meeting ends of pipe sections united by flanged unions, the pipe being shown in transverse section; Fig. 2 is a transverse or radial sectional View taken on line 22 of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of one of the segments of the internal clamping ring which overlies the packing.

Describing said parts in detail, 1, 1, designate a pair of segments which together form a complete ring; these segments being in the preferred embodiment exact counterparts so that they may be made from a single pattern. Each segment is of channel form in cross section, as seen clearly in Fig. 2 the channel having interiorly parallel side walls 2 and being made, of sufflcient depth to accommodate a sectional clamping ring 3 and a compressible packing ring 4. The two segments 1, 1, are united, conveniently by means of radial ears 5and 6 formed at their meeting ends and through which are inserted clamping bolts 7. For convenience the ear 6 of each segment is provided with a shoulder 8 which serves to hold the head of the bolt against rotation while the nut is applied or removed. The internal diameter of the main ring formed by the members 1., l, is equal to, or slightly greater than, the external diameter of the flanges X, Y, of the pipe union so that the ring may fit over the latter, and the internal width of the channel of said ring is somewhat less than the combined thickness of the two flanges, as best seen in Fig. 2.

The clamping ring 3 is divided into as many segments as desired, there being four in the preferred embodiment shown, and these segments are preferably provided with obliquely inclined meeting ends 9 which permit the ring formed by the segments as a whole to expand or contract slightly in size. In order to facilitate the assembling of the segments of the clamping ring within the channel, and also to confine said seg ments against any considerable circumferential move ment, they are preferably each provided with a lug or stud 10 which lugs engage corresponding radially disposed slot-like recesses 11 formed in one side of each of the two main ring members 1, 1. Obviously this lug and slot interconnection between the parts does not interfere with radial movement of the segments.

In order to bring the clamping ring segments into bearing with the packing 4, a series of set screws 12 is provided, each being threaded radially through the outer wall of the outer ring or main ring and arranged to impinge at its inner end against the underlying seg ment. The segments of the clamping ring 3 are preferably slightly convex at their inner surfaces so that the greatest clamping pressure upon the packing ring 4 comes upon a line coincident with the joint Z be tween the two flanges of the union.

The packing ring 4 will ordinarily be made of vulcanized packing material, or analogous packing, and divided or cut at one or more points so as to enable it to be applied without disconnecting the pipe.

The useof the device is obvious and need not be detailed. It will be noted that our improved clamp is susceptible of application without in any 'wise disturbing the pipe union, and it is found in practice that it it entirely feasible to arrest and prevent leakages through the joint between meeting flanges even though the pipe be subject to extremely high internal pressure, such as is the case with steam pipes and the like.

The device is of great utility since it enables the leak to be arrested without disconnecting the pipes or even shutting off the pressure therein. This capability of immediate use without disturbing the pipe connections enables the pipe clamp to be used as a temporary expedient for stopping leakages until such time as the pipes may be conveniently disconnected and the packing between the pipe flanges replaced or repaired so that a single pipe clamp may be used upon many different joints at different times, and in this connection the facility with which it may be applied and its adjustability to various unions become important.

We are aware that various pipe clamps have been devised for stopping leakages at threaded joints where pipes are threaded into unions or other connected parts, but our present device is for an entirely different purpose and is radically different in its construction. 1

We claim as our invention:

1. A pipe clamp for preventing leakages between exteriorly exposed abutting pipe joints, comprising an outer divided main ring internally channeled, the inner edges of the channel sides being constructed to closely approach the surfaces of the pipe members at the respective sides of the joint so as to confine the edges of a packing arranged therein, means for clamping the main ring about a pipe union, an inner divided clamping ring fitting within the channel of the outer ring, an annular packing tinderlying the clamping ring and confined between the side walls of the channel of the main ring, and a series of circumferentially distributed setting-up devices mounted on the main ring and impinging upon the clamping ring to compress the latter. v

2. A pipe clamp for preventing leakages through a joint formed between two abutting parts of externally registering cylindric pipe members, comprising an outer main ring composed of internally channeled segments de tachably united with each other, the inner edges of the channel sides being constructed to closely approach the cylindric surfaces of the pipe exterior so as to confine the edges of a packing therein, an inner segmental clamping ring fitting the channel of the outer ring, the meeting ends of said segments having inclined overlapping surfaces and the inner face of said inner clamping ring being approximately flat but slightly convex along its median line which opposes the joint, a series of circumferentially distributed set-screws threaded radially through the main ring and impinging the several segments of the clamping ring, and

an approximately flat annular packing occupying the innermost portion of the channel and having its edges confined by the side walls of the channel.

3. A pipe clamp for preventing leakages between exteriorly exposed abutting pipe joints, comprising an outer divided main ring internally channeled, the inner edges of the channel sides being constructed to closely approach the surfaces of the pipe members at the respective sides of the joint so as to confine the edges of a packing arranged therein, means for clamping the main ring about a pipe union, an inner divided clamping ring fitting within the channel of the outer ring, said outer and inner rings having radially-disposed interfitting guiding parts, the one slots and the other projections which permits radial compression movement of the inner ring segments and prevent circumferential movement, an annular packing underlying the clamping ring and confined between the side walls of the channel of the main ring, and a series of circumferentially distributed setting-up devices mounted on the main ring and impinging upon the clamping ring to compress the latter.

MORTIMER B. SKINNER. JAMES MCCREA.

Witnesses:

K. A. COSTELLO, EMILIE ROSE. 

